Fluid or spirit level.



No. 778,867. PATEN-TED JAN. 3, 1905. B.KERN,JR. FLUID OR SPIRIT LEVEL.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 20. 1904.-

m mmx INVENTOR 4 414 dew WITNESSES ha Patented January 3, 1905.

PATENT OEEicE.

BERNARD KERN, JR, OF TOLEDO, OHIO.

FLUID OR SPIRIT LEVEL.

SPECIFICATIONforming part of Letters Patent N0. 778,867, dated January 3, 1905.

Application filed February 20, 1904. Serial No. 194,603.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BERNARD KEEN, Jr., a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fluid or Spirit Levels; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to instruments especially employed by carpenters, masons, and the like for the purpose of accurately finding the desired position of any object, and has for its object to materially improve upon and simplify the construction of carpenters or other levels of the class in which separate spirit-glasses have been heretofore employed for determining the plumb and level lines of an object by the provision of means whereby a single glass is employed to perform the functions of both and which possesses the further advantage of being capable of adjustment to an angle of greater or less degree than the plumb-line position, as the desired elevation of an object may require.

The invention is fully described in the following specification, of which the accompanying drawings form a part, in which-- Figure 1 is a front elevation of a portion of a level comprising my invention and showing the spirit-glass in level or horizontal position. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the mechanism, showing the spirit-glass as thrown to a ninety-degree angle or plumb-line position. Fig. 3is a top plan view of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a cross-section of the escutcheon shown in Fig. 1, taken on the line in 00 thereof; and Figs. 5 and 6 are modifications of the construction shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 for retaining the spirit-g1ass-retaining lever in properly-adjusted position.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the body portion of a level of any suitable design, which is provided with an opening a therein and suitably bored to receive the mechanism comprising my invention. Secured within the opening a are the spaced rigidly-connected flat marginal rings B B, each of which is provided with an inwardlyextending horizontally disposed arm 6, which terminates at a central point therein, and with an outwardly-extending substantially L shaped vertically disposed arm a, the latter being projected within a bored portion of the body A, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. l. The rings B B are adapted to be secured in properly spaced position within the opening provided in the body B for their reception by means of the transverse pieces cZ (Z, which rigidly connect the same and are provided with apertures for receiving the retaining-screws d, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

A chair O for adjustably supporting the spirit-glass D within the opening a is pivoted to the ends of the arms 6 at c in diametrical relation to and having its ends disposed between and guided in their rotary movement by the rings B B. Said chair is provided at each end with an apertured lug f, in which the ends of the spirit-glass D are mounted in any suitable manner, packing D being shown in Fig.3 for that purpose, and is adapted to have its pivotal movement limited and to normally seat in level or horizontal position on the arms I) by reason of the transverse shoulder f, formed on either side of one of said lugs, resting on the upper horizontal edge of said arms. I

Formed on the under portion of the chair O, at one side of the pivotal point 0 thereof, is the longitudinal web or tongue 9, which is provided-with the elongated slot 9 therein, substantially as shown.

In order to provide suitable means for causing the spirit-glass. D to revolve around the pivot c to a desired position with relation to the rings B B or body portion of the level, I provide the L-shaped lever H, which is fulcrumed at it between the vertical arms 0 c and has its horizontal portion forked at c' to receive the tongue 9 of said chair O, the said forks being pivotally engaged to said tongue by means of the transverse pin 1', which passes loosely through the slot g therein and is headed on the outer sides of said forks. The upper or free end of the lever .H is provided with the transverse pin or handle 70, which is adapted to project exteriorly of the body portion A through a segmental slot k, provided in the escutcheon K, and be locked in properlyadjusted position by means of the thumb-nut 1, which is threaded to the outer end thereof. The escutcheon K is formed with a countersunk portion m, in which the slot is provided, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4:, thus forming a seat for the nut l, and is adapted to be secured to the body A of the level by means of the screws or or in any othersuitable manner.

As the usual positions in which it is desired to use a level of this class are either for determining a plumb or a level line, it is found advantageous to the ready adjustment of the spirit-glass l) to the plumb-line position shown in Fig. 2 to provide a stop-plate 0 in the path of the locking-nut l in suitable position to stop the movement of the lever H when the glass has reached said plumb-line position. If it is then desired to move the glass to a greater angle with respect to the supporting-arms 6, this can be readily done by loosening the nut 1 sufliciently to allow it to pass over said stopplate 0.

Either one or both of the rings B B may be provided on their outer surfaces with agraduated scale 19 for determining the degree of pitch of a building or other object, which scale may extend partially or entirely around the faces of said rings. A mark q is provided on the shoulder f of the chair'O in suitable position for registering with the graduations of said scale for correctly determining the angle of the object on which the level is applied.

In Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings is shown a modification of the means employed for retaining the glass-controlling leverin a position to which it has been moved, and the same consists in the substitution of a pair of segmental springs 2 for the lock-nut 1, the said springs being provided with the shanks or bow-shaped vertical portions 3 and suitably secured to the vertical arms 4, to which the lever 5 is fulcrumed. The segmental portions of these springs are adapted to bear against opposite faces of the lever 5, and thus frictionally retain it in any position to which it has been moved except when manually manipulated.

While I have shown the-glass D as being rotatably mounted between the rings B B, it will be obvious that said glass, together with its operating mechanism, may be secured in any other suitable manner to the body A of the level and that such changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction of the parts as fairly fall within the scope of my invention may be made without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a level, a support, a chair pivotally mounted on said support, aspirit-glass carried by said chair, a lever fulcrumed to said support and having connection with said chair adapted to cause a rotation thereof when the lever is oscillated.

2. In an instrument of the class described, a graduated rim, inwardly and outwardly projecting arms on said rim, a chair rotatably mounted on said inwardly-projecting arms, a spirit-glass carried by said chair, a lever fulcrumed to said outer arms and having connection with said chair and adapted, when oscillated, to cause a rotary movement thereof, and means for locking said lever against movement.

3. The combination of astock provided with an opening, fixed rims surrounding the opening in said stock, arms radiating from said rims, a chair rotatably mounted on said arms within said opening, a lever fulcrumed without said opening and having connection with said chair adapted to cause a rotation thereof when said lever is oscillated, and means for locking said lever against movement.

4. In an instrument of the class described, a pair of spaced parallel members, a chair pivotally mounted axially between said members, a spirit-glass carried by said chair, a slotted tongue on said chair, a lever having connection with said tongue and adapted, when oscillated, to cause a rotary movement of said glass.

5. In an instrument of the class described, a pair of spaced parallel members having graduations thereon, a chair interposed be tween and pivotally mounted axially of said members, a fluid-glass carried by said chair and adapted to be moved to register with the desired graduation, a slotted tongue on said chair, a lever fulcrumed without the path of said chair and having one end in engagement with said tongue and adapted when oscillated to cause a rotary movement of said chair and glass, and means for retaining said lever in a position to which it has been moved.

6. In an instrument of the class described, a support, a chair pivotally mounted on said support, a spirit-glass carried by said chair, a lever fulcrumed without the path of move ment of said chair adapted when oscillated to impart a rotary movement to said chair and glass, means for limiting the oscillation of said lever at a predetermined point, and means for retaining said lever in a position to which it has been moved.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

BERNARD KERN, JR.

Witnesses:

CORNELL vScnrinnsnn, C. W. OWEN. 

